William b



(No Model.)

W. E. TODD.

POLLOWBR POR. QONDBNSBR TUBES. No. 288,891.' Patented Nov. 20, 1883.

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WITNESSES: JN VENTU:

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UNi'rnn rares eineno ATENT FOLLOWER FOR CONDENSER-TUBES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,891, dated November 20, 1883.

Application filed May 28, 1883. (No model.)

.To aIZZ whom zit may concern.;

Be it known that I, YVILLIAM E. Toni), a

'citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Followers for Gondenser-Tubes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improvement, fully described hereinafter, in the followers used in connection with the tubes and casing of a surface-condenser, also, of an improved mode of partly closing the said follower, the object of my invention being to produce afollower which is much less expensive than and quite as available as the ordinary cast follower.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a section of part of the casing and part of one of the tubes of a surface-condenser with my improved follower; Fig. 2, a perspective view, showing the outer end of the follower; Fig. 3, an exterior view of the follower and part of one oi' the tubes, and Figs. 4 and 5 perspective diagrams illustrating a mode of carrying out my invention. Y

In Figs. 1, 2,-and 3,.A represents part of the casing of a surance-condenser, and B the end portion of one of many tubes appel-taining to the condenser, the tube passing Afreely through the casing, which has a threaded recess for the reception of thethreaded follower D, the latter fitting snugly but freely on the tube, between which and the bottom of the recess is lodged suitable packing, a., the follower having internally-projecting lugs e, to prevent the outward creeping of the tube. There is a similar follower adapted to a threaded recess in the opposite end of the condenser-casing, so that the movement of the tube due to expansion and contraction is restricted by the lugs of the two followers.

`An example of a follower with internal projections to prevent the outward creeping of the tube of asurface-condenser is shown in the patent oi' J. V. Booraem, granted September 22, 1863, No. 40,013, in which is a square opening in the end of the follower for receiving the end of a suitable wrench, thus leaving angular projections for resisting the outward creeping of the tube. In view of this patent I cannot claim, broadly, a follower with internal projections, my invention being restricted to those of the peculiar character shown in the drawings.

In manufacturing Booraems follower, and others of more recent date, excepting that in the patent of S. Archbold, September 30, 1873, it was necessary to make a special casting of brass, and to turn this casting and cut on it the required screw-thread. I discard this plan for that which Iwill now proceed to describe.

Itake a short section of an ordinary brass tube, on which the screw may be cut by an ordinary threading-machine, and make in the outer end incisions x, of proper depth, at the points indicated in Fig. 2, thus leaving two tongues, which I bend inwardly, so as to form the internal lugs, e, thus at once completing the follower,which has two nicks, m m, formed by displacing the tongues and converting them into lugs, the nicks being of appropriate depth for receiving the end of a suitable screwdriver, by which the follower may be turned and screwed tight against the packing. A more summary way of making the lugs without any preliminary incisions in the end of the follower is that shown in Figs. 4 and 5, where the section of brass tubingis fitted on a mandrel, W, which has a transverse slot, u. A tool, Y, has at its lower end two beveled projections, p p, which are of the same or nearly the same width as the slot in the mandrel, on which the follower is suitably supported. On applying the tool to the follower, taking care that its lower end coinA cides with the slot in the mandrel, and then striking the tool, the desired lugs will not only be cut in the follower, but will at the same time be turned down into the said slot, owing to the inclination of the projections pp. It will be seen that a follower thus made of a section of brass tubing is much more economical than an ordinary follower of cast brass.

I claim as my inventionl. The within-described follower for condenser-tubes, the same consisting of a section of a brass tube having` internal bent lugs, e, In testimony whereof I have signed my and notches m, as set fort-h. name to this specification in the presence of Io 2. The mode herein described of niekin'g two subscribing Witnesses.

and partly-closing the end of a condensertube, the said Inode Consisting in making inv WVM' E' TODD' oisions in the end of a tube, and bending the Witnesses: tongues made by the incisions, so as to con- HARRY L. AsI-IENFELTER,

Vert them into internal lugs, as set forth. HARRY SMITH. 

